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Hartlepool 3 County 0

NEWPORT County AFC suffered another blow to their promotion hopes with a 3-0 defeat at play-off rivals Hartlepool United.

A sweet strike from Luke James and a calamitous own goal credited to Andy Sandell either side of half-time condemned the Exiles to defeat after a promising first half display and a third in injury time from Luke Williams rubbed salt into the wound.

Justin Edinburgh’s men were on top with Ryan Burge and David Pipe catching the eye on the flanks before James put the hosts ahead five minutes before the break.

But after the own goal on 55 minutes the visitors never looked like getting back into the game despite the introduction of Max Porter, Christian Jolley and Chris Zebroski from the bench.

County drop to tenth in the League Two table but are still eight points off the play-offs with three games in hand.

Exiles boss Edinburgh said: "We deserved perhaps a little bit better. For long spells of the first half I thought we looked comfortable and we had some good chances.

"But the goals we gave away, certainly the first two, we're disappointed with and if you're going to keep chasing games it's hard to come back at any level.

Burge was County's dangerman today but the two main strikers,Howe and Jeffers, did not manage one single shot at goal in the entire match and..... that says it all.

[quote][p][bold]Harps62[/bold] wrote:
52% of the play.
9 shots on goal
10 corners.
No goals again.
Possibly says it all.[/p][/quote]Burge was County's dangerman today but the two main strikers,Howe and Jeffers, did not manage one single shot at goal in the entire match and..... that says it all.asrncafc

Burge was County's dangerman today but the two main strikers,Howe and Jeffers, did not manage one single shot at goal in the entire match and..... that says it all.

Score: 3

grumpyandopinionated
6:07pm Sat 15 Feb 14

I don't get why there is so much talk about promotion. The lads are doing brilliant as they are well infront of some established clubs in league 2, and not forgetting that hartlepool were in league 1 last season. The lack of matches is going to be a factor at the moment, but heaping the pressure on them to get promotion is not going to help. It would be awesome for them to get back to back promotion but I think it would be a disaster to go up this year. Its pretty clear that the run of form was mainly down to the confidence of being promoted. Now teams have suddenly realised that they need to take county seriously they are playing better against us.

We need to build a team that can survive this league and any promotion into the next league. I'm pretty certain Endinburgh will move on to another club. So the board are going to have to get together and put the funds in place to build the team over the summer for the next season.

I don't get why there is so much talk about promotion. The lads are doing brilliant as they are well infront of some established clubs in league 2, and not forgetting that hartlepool were in league 1 last season. The lack of matches is going to be a factor at the moment, but heaping the pressure on them to get promotion is not going to help. It would be awesome for them to get back to back promotion but I think it would be a disaster to go up this year. Its pretty clear that the run of form was mainly down to the confidence of being promoted. Now teams have suddenly realised that they need to take county seriously they are playing better against us.
We need to build a team that can survive this league and any promotion into the next league. I'm pretty certain Endinburgh will move on to another club. So the board are going to have to get together and put the funds in place to build the team over the summer for the next season.grumpyandopinionated

I don't get why there is so much talk about promotion. The lads are doing brilliant as they are well infront of some established clubs in league 2, and not forgetting that hartlepool were in league 1 last season. The lack of matches is going to be a factor at the moment, but heaping the pressure on them to get promotion is not going to help. It would be awesome for them to get back to back promotion but I think it would be a disaster to go up this year. Its pretty clear that the run of form was mainly down to the confidence of being promoted. Now teams have suddenly realised that they need to take county seriously they are playing better against us.

We need to build a team that can survive this league and any promotion into the next league. I'm pretty certain Endinburgh will move on to another club. So the board are going to have to get together and put the funds in place to build the team over the summer for the next season.

Score: 7

COUNTYVOICE
6:15pm Sat 15 Feb 14

the big problem was the lack of matchplay, they played like strangers, and gave the ball away to cheaply. they were also found lacking at the back.

a disappointing result and lets just hope tuesdays game is on as county need a win and they need to start taking their chances

the big problem was the lack of matchplay, they played like strangers, and gave the ball away to cheaply. they were also found lacking at the back.
a disappointing result and lets just hope tuesdays game is on as county need a win and they need to start taking their chancesCOUNTYVOICE

the big problem was the lack of matchplay, they played like strangers, and gave the ball away to cheaply. they were also found lacking at the back.

a disappointing result and lets just hope tuesdays game is on as county need a win and they need to start taking their chances

Score: 6

llandaff
8:37pm Sat 15 Feb 14

Not sure I understood the manager's starting line up selection today. Especially as he was so spoiled for choice. This seemed an unnecessary experiment which well and truly backfired. They played like strangers because they were!! The commentator said they looked tired in the latter stages of the match.....why?

Not sure I understood the manager's starting line up selection today. Especially as he was so spoiled for choice. This seemed an unnecessary experiment which well and truly backfired. They played like strangers because they were!! The commentator said they looked tired in the latter stages of the match.....why?llandaff

Not sure I understood the manager's starting line up selection today. Especially as he was so spoiled for choice. This seemed an unnecessary experiment which well and truly backfired. They played like strangers because they were!! The commentator said they looked tired in the latter stages of the match.....why?

Score: 0

larneman
8:53pm Sat 15 Feb 14

I could'nt listen to the commentary because I gave up on the new radio station.
Please help.does anyone else have bother with this station. It keeps breaking up and losing big Tim. Sorry County lost this one but we all said top 10 would be great. A good platform to build on next season.

I could'nt listen to the commentary because I gave up on the new radio station.
Please help.does anyone else have bother with this station. It keeps breaking up and losing big Tim. Sorry County lost this one but we all said top 10 would be great. A good platform to build on next season.larneman

I could'nt listen to the commentary because I gave up on the new radio station.
Please help.does anyone else have bother with this station. It keeps breaking up and losing big Tim. Sorry County lost this one but we all said top 10 would be great. A good platform to build on next season.

Score: 4

jiffygeorge
9:26pm Sat 15 Feb 14

We can still make the play-offs, but I don't think we will now. We had five clean sheets in a row earlier in the season and looked good promotion bets, but Yakubu (who gets injured all too easily), Oshiawa, Jackson and Pidgely were all playing then and aren't now while we have had to cope with non-scoring strikers all season. It was thus always likely we'd fall away and with the weather not helping us, that's exactly what's happened.

We can still make the play-offs, but I don't think we will now. We had five clean sheets in a row earlier in the season and looked good promotion bets, but Yakubu (who gets injured all too easily), Oshiawa, Jackson and Pidgely were all playing then and aren't now while we have had to cope with non-scoring strikers all season. It was thus always likely we'd fall away and with the weather not helping us, that's exactly what's happened.jiffygeorge

We can still make the play-offs, but I don't think we will now. We had five clean sheets in a row earlier in the season and looked good promotion bets, but Yakubu (who gets injured all too easily), Oshiawa, Jackson and Pidgely were all playing then and aren't now while we have had to cope with non-scoring strikers all season. It was thus always likely we'd fall away and with the weather not helping us, that's exactly what's happened.

Score: 2

exrisca
9:47pm Sat 15 Feb 14

Very much like our first season in the Conference Premier. We were joint second for a few hours on Boxing Day after winning at Kidderminster, then did not win again until March, but still finished high. It would be good to flirt with the play-off places as it would keep interest going to the end.

Very much like our first season in the Conference Premier. We were joint second for a few hours on Boxing Day after winning at Kidderminster, then did not win again until March, but still finished high. It would be good to flirt with the play-off places as it would keep interest going to the end.exrisca

Very much like our first season in the Conference Premier. We were joint second for a few hours on Boxing Day after winning at Kidderminster, then did not win again until March, but still finished high. It would be good to flirt with the play-off places as it would keep interest going to the end.

Score: 1

sooty001
9:56pm Sat 15 Feb 14

larneman wrote…

I could'nt listen to the commentary because I gave up on the new radio station.
Please help.does anyone else have bother with this station. It keeps breaking up and losing big Tim. Sorry County lost this one but we all said top 10 would be great. A good platform to build on next season.

Larneman, you can get commentary on Radio Wales now, AM when Cardiff City are playing and FM when they are not.

[quote][p][bold]larneman[/bold] wrote:
I could'nt listen to the commentary because I gave up on the new radio station.
Please help.does anyone else have bother with this station. It keeps breaking up and losing big Tim. Sorry County lost this one but we all said top 10 would be great. A good platform to build on next season.[/p][/quote]Larneman, you can get commentary on Radio Wales now, AM when Cardiff City are playing and FM when they are not.sooty001

larneman wrote…

I could'nt listen to the commentary because I gave up on the new radio station.
Please help.does anyone else have bother with this station. It keeps breaking up and losing big Tim. Sorry County lost this one but we all said top 10 would be great. A good platform to build on next season.

Larneman, you can get commentary on Radio Wales now, AM when Cardiff City are playing and FM when they are not.

Score: 4

COUNTYVOICE
2:05am Sun 16 Feb 14

larneman , try running the county player when listening, if you have other programs running at the same time and a slow computer that will cause the commentary to break up

larneman , try running the county player when listening, if you have other programs running at the same time and a slow computer that will cause the commentary to break upCOUNTYVOICE

larneman , try running the county player when listening, if you have other programs running at the same time and a slow computer that will cause the commentary to break up

Score: 1

COUNTYVOICE
2:06am Sun 16 Feb 14

larnman amendment to above try running the county player only when listening

larnman amendment to above try running the county player only when listeningCOUNTYVOICE

larnman amendment to above try running the county player only when listening

Score: 1

Keith P
2:13am Sun 16 Feb 14

As football fans we all have opinions we should do this, we shod do that etc. if we just look at the facts the county have only played 10 games at home this season. Winning 7 of them consequently only dropping 8 points at home. Most teams in the division have played 16 or 17 home games. If Rodney parade ever becomes playable and we keep that level of home performance we will do well. Prior to the season I was hoping for 10th or better we are on track for better than that.

As football fans we all have opinions we should do this, we shod do that etc. if we just look at the facts the county have only played 10 games at home this season. Winning 7 of them consequently only dropping 8 points at home. Most teams in the division have played 16 or 17 home games. If Rodney parade ever becomes playable and we keep that level of home performance we will do well. Prior to the season I was hoping for 10th or better we are on track for better than that.Keith P

As football fans we all have opinions we should do this, we shod do that etc. if we just look at the facts the county have only played 10 games at home this season. Winning 7 of them consequently only dropping 8 points at home. Most teams in the division have played 16 or 17 home games. If Rodney parade ever becomes playable and we keep that level of home performance we will do well. Prior to the season I was hoping for 10th or better we are on track for better than that.

Score: 1

RSATaffy
7:04am Sun 16 Feb 14

Agree with most of the above we shouldn't get preoccupied with getting "back to back" promotions. I'm sure most fans would have gladly taken a top 10 finish at the start of the season and I think we will achieve that comfortably.

Agree with most of the above we shouldn't get preoccupied with getting "back to back" promotions. I'm sure most fans would have gladly taken a top 10 finish at the start of the season and I think we will achieve that comfortably.RSATaffy

Agree with most of the above we shouldn't get preoccupied with getting "back to back" promotions. I'm sure most fans would have gladly taken a top 10 finish at the start of the season and I think we will achieve that comfortably.

Score: 1

jetspotter
10:07am Sun 16 Feb 14

Spot on Grumpyandopinionated
. We haven't yet got the players to survive in League one and we wouldn't be able to acquire them in the the summer. We need to take stock and use at least one more season to build a really viable team that wouldn't come straight down again. We've waited a very long time to get were we are and consolidation and building strength in depth should be the aim. I hope Justin isn't lured away but suspect he will be unfortunately.

Spot on Grumpyandopinionated
. We haven't yet got the players to survive in League one and we wouldn't be able to acquire them in the the summer. We need to take stock and use at least one more season to build a really viable team that wouldn't come straight down again. We've waited a very long time to get were we are and consolidation and building strength in depth should be the aim. I hope Justin isn't lured away but suspect he will be unfortunately.jetspotter

Spot on Grumpyandopinionated
. We haven't yet got the players to survive in League one and we wouldn't be able to acquire them in the the summer. We need to take stock and use at least one more season to build a really viable team that wouldn't come straight down again. We've waited a very long time to get were we are and consolidation and building strength in depth should be the aim. I hope Justin isn't lured away but suspect he will be unfortunately.

Score: 2

larneman
3:59pm Sun 16 Feb 14

Thanks a lot for the advice, from sooty and countyvoice.

Thanks a lot for the advice, from sooty and countyvoice.larneman

Thanks a lot for the advice, from sooty and countyvoice.

Score: 1

Thomas O'Malley
9:08pm Mon 17 Feb 14

Most fans would have taken a top 10 finish at the start of the season and that would still be a a good season. However, surrendering a position of strength near the top of the table for no obvious reason like last season is what frustrates the fans (even accepting the disruption of the postponements). 2 points from the last 18 and 11 goals conceded in 6 games is a shambles.

Most fans would have taken a top 10 finish at the start of the season and that would still be a a good season. However, surrendering a position of strength near the top of the table for no obvious reason like last season is what frustrates the fans (even accepting the disruption of the postponements). 2 points from the last 18 and 11 goals conceded in 6 games is a shambles.Thomas O'Malley

Most fans would have taken a top 10 finish at the start of the season and that would still be a a good season. However, surrendering a position of strength near the top of the table for no obvious reason like last season is what frustrates the fans (even accepting the disruption of the postponements). 2 points from the last 18 and 11 goals conceded in 6 games is a shambles.

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